Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree – Sandy Hook CT

How to Pick a Physical Therapy College near Sandy Hook 06482

Sandy Hook CT physical therapy school student with volunteerEarning a physical therapist degree near Sandy Hook CT is an important first step to launching a fulfilling career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been debilitated as a result of illness or injury regain function and mobility. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to receive the appropriate training and education. A PT must also be licensed in every state, a large number mandating that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before choosing a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to evaluate those you are thinking about to make certain they will provide a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is choose a school simply because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has the lowest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that must be considered besides cost and location. But before we talk about what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Sandy Hook CT physical therapist helping patient walkPhysical therapists work in varying locations, including Sandy Hook CT hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier touched on, physical therapists help patients that are suffering from a lack of mobility and in many cases pain due to injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they design a course of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also strive to stop any progression of the disability. While the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

  • Arthritis or Osteoporosis
  • Car or motor cycle accidents
  • Head injuries.
  • Heart attacks.
  • Sports injuries.
  • Burn injuries.
  • Hip Replacement.
  • Fibromyalgia.
  • Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close partnerships with other Sandy Hook CT health specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They can also supervise several physical therapy assistants who work under them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to bear in mind for anyone thinking about going into the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Offered

Sandy Hook CT physical therapist applying acupuncture to patientThere are 3 physical therapy degrees available for students to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these choices, the single degree that is attainable to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees target either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are short descriptions of degrees that are available in the Sandy Hook CT area:

  • Associate Degrees educate students to be physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have earned a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are most often provided by community colleges, and require two years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is normally part of the program.
  • Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapy education to prepare candidates to move up to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an integral first step to practicing as a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they normally require 4 years to complete and commonly include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
  • Doctorate Degrees are mandated if you want to become a licensed practicing physical therapist. The degree program must also be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). In addition to the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes three years to finish, making the total investment of time 7 years in most cases. Practical or clinical training is an essential component in addition to the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is required, not just for graduation but in several states for licensing also.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has taken the place of the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been eliminated and is no longer attainable in the United States. Some practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the present licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Schools Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Sandy Hook CTAlthough not as prevalent as the on campus alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy programs offered, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are incorporated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the school campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. However, the online segment of the program may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Sandy Hook CT home. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in many cases more affordable. Tuition may be significantly lower than similar on-campus alternatives, and expenses for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These benefits may make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

By now you probably have come to decision concerning a few of your preliminary questions, including the kind of physical therapy degree you intend to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But because there are numerous PT colleges within the Sandy Hook CT area and throughout Connecticut, you’ll need to look into additional qualifications as well so as to further narrow your list of college options. Also, you want to be sure that you select the college that is best for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of essential questions that you need to ask the physical therapist colleges you are considering. Ask all of the potential colleges these questions prior to making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited?  Ask if the colleges you are considering have received accreditation from a regional or a national agency. As earlier mentioned, if you are pursuing a doctorate the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you choose an online school, it may also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapy program and school you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Also, make sure that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Besides guaranteeing that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the College’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the college and program you select have excellent reputations within the physical therapist community. There are a number of ways you can investigate a PT college’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Call some Sandy Hook CT physical therapy centers or other healthcare facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can give you any insight about your college options. It may also be prudent to contact the Connecticut Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the School’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of useful statistics that you need to find out about each of the physical therapy schools you are looking at. First is their graduation rate. A low rate might indicate that students dropped out due to dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the support of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Sandy Hook CT area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care community is good or even exceptional. It also affirms that the school has a wide network of contacts to assist students gain internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the Program Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the program you select furnishes both superior training and a curriculum that supports the licensing requirements for Connecticut or the state where you will be practicing. In each state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapist school. While licensing requirements vary state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internship Programs Offered? Find out if the physical therapy colleges you are interested in have relationships with Sandy Hook CT hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific manner to obtain practical training in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can help graduates and students form professional relationships in the Sandy Hook health care community and help with job placement after licensing.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of person that prefers to sit far in the rear of class or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a smaller class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are looking at what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you a chance to converse with several of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist tech program as well.

Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist school they pick will have to be within commuting distance of their Sandy Hook CT residence. Students who have decided to attend classes online obviously will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. Something to bear in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a college that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges generally charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Aid Provided? The majority of DPT colleges supply some type of financial aid to their potential students. Inquire if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office and find out what kind of help is available. They at least should help in getting a student loan or any grants you might qualify for. A number of physical therapist schools offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a college because the tuition is beyond your budget, ask what financial aid might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to confirm that the physical therapy program you finally select can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you opt to continue working while you attend classes. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Sandy Hook CT area, check that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, find out if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would have to carry. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss because of illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Sandy Hook Connecticut?

If you are planning on attending a Physical Therapy School in the Sandy Hook CT area, the following information may prove to be both interesting and educational regarding the location of your future Alma Mater.

Sandy Hook, Connecticut

It borders the Botsford section of town, Newtown borough, and also the towns of Monroe, Southbury and Oxford along the Housatonic River. The village of Sandy Hook includes the communities of Berkshire, Riverside, Walnut Tree Hill, and Zoar, which also extends for a short distance into the Town of Monroe along Old Zoar Road and Bagburn Hill/Jordan Hill Road.

Within a year of the settlement of Newtown, some of its proprietors began moving away from the central village to some of their larger parcels. Several proprietors with land in the same area relocated to these areas together to reduce isolation. Sandy Hook was one of the first of the outlying areas settled. Colonists found the Pootatuck River at Sandy Hook allowed for the setting up of saw and grist mills. The neighborhood would not grow dramatically until the industrialization of the mid 19th century.[1]

On December 14, 2012[update], Adam Lanza shot his mother at home, then killed 26 people and himself at Sandy Hook Elementary School.[2] It was the second-deadliest[update] mass shooting in U.S. history at the time, after the 2007 Virginia Tech shootings.[3][4][5]

Select the Right Physical Therapist School near Sandy Hook CT

Selecting the best physical therapy program is a necessary first decision you have to make to start a rewarding career in the medical field. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you pick should both have exceptional reputations and be accredited. However there are additional important questions that you should ask pertaining to your college of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapy program, keep in mind that a number of variables will guide you to your final decision. You may want to go to each of the colleges to see their facilities and speak with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this program help me reach my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the best selection. And with the necessary education and training, you can accomplish your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Sandy Hook CT.

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